Web cutting and folding mechanism for printing machines



Dec. 22, 1942. A. M. ZUCKERMAN s-rm.

WEB CUTTING AND FOLDING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING MACHINES Filed novfle, 1941,; '4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS Dec. 22, 1942.

A. ZUCKERMAN ETAL WEEGUTTINGAND FOLDING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING MACHINES Filed NOV. 19, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 2VMENTOR$ mm a ATTORNEY Dec. 22, 1942. 'A. M. zucxsnmm k-rrAl. 2,306,248

7 WEB CUTTING AND FOLDING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING MACHINES Filed Nov. 19,1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN ENT :15

' :ATTORNEY Dec. 22, 1942. A. M. ZUCKERMAN ETAL 2,305,243

WEB CUTTING AND FbLDING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING MACHINES Filed Nov. 19. 1941 4'Sheets-Sheet .4

ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 22, 1942 lli'lE sr'rss hiding T F FE :CE

Application November 19, 1941, Serial No. 419,778

20- Claims.

This invention relates to printing machines, and more particularly to improved web cutting and folding mechanism therefor.

In the operation of printing machines employed for printing magazines or like products, it is sometimes desirable to arrange to cut the printed web to form products of different sizes and to accurately fold them. This frequently requires difiicult readjustment of the machine'components-in order to prepare the machine for cutting and folding the products of the selected size.

Cutting and folding mechanisms have been generally classified in two groups, the fixed size sheet type and the variable size sheet type. The fixed size sheet mechanism can be run at relatively high speed and is highly emcient, but of course no change in the length of sheet cut on" is possible. The variable size sheet mechanism, however, will produce sheets of varying lengths, but this type of mechanism cannot be run at such high speed as the fixed size sheet mechanism, and consequently is less eificient.

There has been developed in the art, printing machines having cutting and folding mechanisms for producing products of different sizes by providing separate pairs of cooperating cutting cylinders, each pair cooperating to cut a product of a definite size. The pairs of cooperating cutting cylinders are mounted for movement transversely of the direction of the web run, so that each selected pair of cylinders may be located in the web path to cut sheets of the selected size. If sheets of a difierent size are required, then the support for the cutting cylinders is moved to locate another pair of cooperating cutting cylinders of a different size in the web path to cut the web into sheets of the required size.

There has also been recently developed in the art, a web cutting mechanism which has separate sets of fixed cooperable cutting cylinders that are located in the web path, and the mechanism is constructed and arranged so that when products of one size are to be cut, one set of cooperable cutting cylinders is rendered operative, and when sheets of a different size are to be cut, the other set of cooperable cutting cylinders operate to cut the sheet of the required size.

This invention contemplates the provision of an improved cutting and folding mechanism for use in rotary printing machines, and an object thereof is to so construct and arrange the mechanism that sheets of different sizes are cut and accurately folded by components of a common cutting mechanism and a common folding mechanism.

Another object of this invention is to provide for use in a printing machine, improved cutting and folding devices in which a common cutting mechanism is operable at a given speed to cut sheets of different lengths, and a common folding mechanism is operable at one speed to accurately fold sheets of one 'length and operable at another speed to accurately fold sheets of a different length.

A further object of this invention is to provide, for use in a printing-machine, improved cutting and folding devices in which a common cutting mechanism is operable at a given speed to cut sheets of difierent'lengths, and a-common folding mechanism operable at one speed to fold sheets of one length and operable atadilferent speed to fold sheets of another length, and a delivery mechanism for delivering all the products away from the folding mechanism in one direction, :or to deliver certain of the products away from the folder in one direction, and the remaining products in the opposed direction.

vA specific object of this invention is to provide, for use in printing machines, an improved web cutting and folding mechanism incorporating .a rotary cutter adapted to out first products of a given length and to :cut second products of lesser length, a rotary folding cylinder, and to-drive the folding cylinder at approximately the peripheral speed of the rotary cutter to fold the first products, and also .ata high speed tofo-ldthe second products.

,A more specific object of this invent-ionisto provide in a Web printing machine, a form cy inder arranged to receive printing plates toprint a plurality of first products successively during each cylinder revolution, and-alternativelytoprint a large number of smaller products successively duringeach cylinder "revolution,- a cutting mechanism adapted to .cut the web into first products of a :given length, and alternatively to cutthe web into smaller products at the speed'they are printed by the form cylinder, and a folding 'machineadapted to be driven at a speed corresponding with that of the form cylinder to fold the first products, and at a faster speed to fold the smaller products.

It is also an object of this invention to provide, for use in printing machines, cutting and folding mechanisms of generally improved construction, whereby the device will be simple, durable, and relatively inexpensive in construction, as well as convenient, practicable, serviceable 'and-efficient in its use.

With the foregoing and other objects in view,

which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that various changes in form, proportion and minor details of construction may be made within the scope of theclaims without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any advantages of the invention.

For a complete disclosure of invention, a detailed description thereof will now be given in connection with the accompanying v drawings forming a part of the specification, wherein:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic side elevation of a printing machine which incorporates the improved cutting and folding mechanism.

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic end view.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmental end view of the improved folder.

Figure 4 is an elevation of the tucking blade cylinder, depicting the short gripper fingers employed in handling the larger product, the view being seen in the direction indicated by the arrows 4-4 in Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a plan view of the delivery cylinders, the view being seen in the direction indicated by the arrow 5 in Figure 3.

Figure 6 is an end view of the cutting cylinders, their shafts being shown in section, and the cylinder components being arranged for cutting four products per cylinder revolution.

Figure 7 is an end view of the tuckingblade cylinder, the cylinder being provided with long gripper fingers for handling the shorter products.

Figure 8 is an end view of the delivery cylinders, their shafts being shown in section, and the components of the cylinders being arranged to deliver products alternatively in opposed directions.

Figure 9 is an elevation of the tucking blade cylinder, similar to Figure 4, except the longer gripper fingers, depicted in Figure '7, are employed for handling the smaller products, the view being seen in the direction indicated by the arrows 9-9 of Figure '7.

Figure 10 is a plan view of the delivery cylinders, similar to Figure 5, but showing gripper fingers on both cylinders.

Referring to the drawings, in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts, there is depicted a frame |2 of a rotary printing machine, and the frame l3 of its folder. The printing machine includes any preferred number of perfecting printing units having preferably superposed printing couples, as best seen in Figure 1. Although the arrangement in which superposed printing couples are provided is a preferred arrangement, it is to be understood, of course, that the printing couples may be otherwise disposed if desired. Each couple includes an impression cylinder i5, which is rotatably supported in the machine frame 12, in conformity with the usual practice. A plate or form cylinder l6 cooperably engages each impressioncylinder l5, and ink is supplied to each plate cylinder from a fountain ll, of usual construction, through an interposed ink distributing mechanism Hi. If preferred, however, ink may be supplied to a cylinder of the ink distributing mechanism by an ink rail of usual construction, which arrangement is well understood by those skilled in the art. The plate or form cylinders l6 are arranged to support either six or eight plates around each cylinder, depending upon the size of the;product;75

to be produced, as will be fully explained hereinafter.

As seen in Figure l, a web W is guided to and through the printing couples by guide rollers 20, and after passing through the printing couples, the web is guided by rollers 2| to a drag or propeller roller 22, with which slitter discs 23 cooperate to cut the web into ribbons WR. The ribbons WE. are passed over turner bars 25, as best seen in Figure 2, and then these ribbons are guided around rollers 26 to associating rollers 21. After the ribbons WE are associated by the rollers 21, these associated ribbons are led to feeding rollers 28 and 30 of the folder. The feeding rollers 28 and 30 are rotatably mounted in conventional bearings, not shown, supported by the folder frame l3, and these rollers are geared together for simultaneous rotation in the usual manner which is well understood by those skilled in the art, consequently the gears have not been illustrated. After passing through the feed rollers 28 and 30, the ribbons WE are carried between the cutting cylinders 3| and 32, which are rotatably mounted in the usual manner in bearings supported by the folder frame l3. The cutting cylinders 3| and 32 cut the ribbons into sheets, and the sheets are carried through the folder to the delivery mechanism, as will be more fully explained hereinafter.

The cutting cylinders are geared together for simultaneous rotation, in conformity with the usual practice in the art, and the shaft of the cutting cylinder 32 has a bevel gear 33 rigidly secured thereto. This gear meshes with a bevel pinion 35 carried by a horizontal shaft 36 which is rotatably supported in hearings in the folder frame l3. A bevel pinion 31 is secured to the outer terminal of the shaft 36, and this pinion meshes with a similar bevel pinion 38 carried by a vertical shaft 40, which is rotatably supported in bearings in the folder frame i3. At the lower terminal of the vertical shaft 4|] there is secured a bevel pinion 4| which meshes with a similar pinion-42 carried by a horizontal drive shaft 43, which may be driven from any suitable source of power, not shown, in conformity with the usual practice.

Gears 44 and 45 are secured to the intermediate portion of the horizontal shaft 36, and the gear 44 meshes with a similar gear 46 which retates with -a horizontally-disposed shaft 4'! rotatably supported in bearings in the folder frame I3. A gear 48 rotates with the shaft 41, and the gears 45 and 48 are carried by and rigidly secured to a sleeve or hub 59 which is slidably mounted on the shaft 41, but is splined to this shaft to prevent rotation of the gears 46 and 48 relative to the shaft. The hub or sleeve 59 is provided with an annular groove 5| for the reception of rollers 52 carried at the bifurcated terminal 53 of a lever 55, which is fulcrumed. as indicated at 56, to a bracket 5? carried by the folder frame I3. By this arrangement, when the lever 55 is swung about its fulcrum 56, the gears 46 and 48 are slid along the shaft 41 so that the gear 46 is moved from meshing engage ment with the gear 44, for a purpose to be hereinafter disclosed.

A bevel pinion 5B is secured to one terminal of the shaft, 41,; and this pinion meshes with a bevel gear 6| carried by shaft 52 of a jaw cylinder 63. The jaw cylinder 63 is geared to a tucking blade cylinder 65, in conformity with the usual practice, so that the cylinders 63 and 65 rotate in unison. By this arrangement, the jaw cylinder 63 and tucking blade cylinder 65 are driven from the shaft 47 through the bevel pinion 69 and the bevel gear 6|.

The tucking blade cylinder 65 is provided with gripper shafts 66, which are mounted for rocking movement in the tucking blade cylinder 65, in conformity with the usual practice. Each gripper shaft 56 supports a plurality of gripper fingers which are detachably secured to the shaft. When the machine is adjusted to handle products of one size, each shaft 66 supports relatively short gripper fingers El, as best shown in Figures 3 and 4. If products of a smaller size are to be handled by the machine, then the short gripper fingers iii are not used, but they may remain in place, while longer gripper fingers 68, best shown in Figures 7 and 9, are secured to this shaft. Any suitable construction may be employed to detachably secure the gripper fingers to the shafts 65, but a preferred construction is depicted in Figures 3, 4, 7 and 9. In this construction, supporting blocks it! are carried at spaced intervals along each shaft and these blocks are provided with threaded apertures ii (best seen in Figure 4) for the reception of securing screws 72 which extend through apertures formed in the gripper fingers 6? and 58 to rigidly secure each finger to its supporting block it. In order to remove any gripper finger, it is necessary only to remove the securing screws 72 from the selected gripper finger and supporting block 19.

The tucking blade cylinder 55 is provided with three tucking blades 73, which are operably supported by the cylinder projected, at the proper time, radially beyond the peripheral portion of the tucking blade cylinder. The tucking arrangement is of conventional construction which is well understood by those skilled in the art, therefore it is only diagrammatically illustrated in the drawings of this application. The gripper shafts 6B are rocked or oscillated to actuate the gripper fingers by the conventional cam and roller mechanism, not shown, but which is well understood by those skilled in the art. The jaw cylinder 63 is provided with three sets of folding jaws '55 of usual construction, and the movable jaws are opened and closed by rock shafts '55, which are actuated by the conventional cam and roller mechanism that is well understood by those skilled in the art, consequently they are not illustrated in the drawings of this application. These jaws coact with the tucking blades '53 to receive and fold products in conformity with the usual practice.

As seen in Figure 3, :a spring pressed feed roller fl yieldingly engages the peripheral portion of the jaw cylinder 63, and a similar spring pressed feed roller i8 yieldingly engages a fixed feed roller 89 to feed products from the jaw cylinder 63 to the delivery mechanism to be hereinafter described.

Coacting delivery cylinders 8 I and 82 are located below the feed rollers 18 and 88, and these delivery cylinders are operably supported by shafts 83 and 85 which are rotatably mounted in bearings in the folder frame l3. The delivery cylinder 8! is provided with four rock shafts 86 to which gripper finger supporting blocks 87 are rigidly secured. In a phase of the operation of the machine, to be hereinafter described, a gripper finger 83 is detachably secured to each block 87 by bolts or screws 93, so that four products may be delivered during each revolution of the 65, so that they may be i ure 3. The delivery belt delivery cylinder, as best shown in Figure 8. The coacting delivery cylinder 82 is provided with two diametrically opposed rock shafts 9! which have gripper fingers supporting blocks 92 rigidly secured thereto. During a phase of the operation of the machine, a gripper finger 88 is secured to each block 92, as best shown in Figure 8, and

during another phase of operation of the machine, the two gripper fingers are removed from the blocks 92, as will be fully explained hereinafter. Each rock shaft 86 or 9| has a rocker arm secured to a terminal thereof, and each arm 93 is provided with a cam roller 95 to be engaged by a cam of usual construction, not shown, to open and close the gripper fingers in proper timed relation to the feeding products, in conformity with the usual practice. The gripper fingers 88 are normally held in their closed or gripper position by helical extension springs 95, of usual construction, as shown in Figure 8. The products are gripped by the gripper fingers 88 and are carried around the delivery cylinders 8i and 82 until they are engaged by stop members or strippers 7 and Q3, which strip the products from the cylinders and deposit them on conveyer belts Md and fill, of usual construction. The conveyer belt Hill is supported by rollers 562, and this belt is driven to convey products to the left from the delivery cylinder 3!, as viewed in Figbl is supported by rollers I 3, and it is driven to deliver products to the right from the delivery cylinder 82, as viewed in Figure 3.

Cut sheets are guided from the cutting cylinders 3! and 32 by vertical guide members Hi l, and the sheets are held in proper relation to the peripheral portion of the tucking blade cylinder 65 by arcuate guide members I95, of conventional construction, that are arranged in concentric relation to the tucking blade cylinder 65. Similar guides H36 and Hi! are arranged in concentric relation to the jaw cylinder 63. A stripper and guide member I68 is supported to strip the leading edges of the products from the jaw cylinder 63 and guide the products to the feed rollers 78 and 88.

The peripheral portion of the cutting cylinder 3! (as seen in Figure 6) is provided with six radial slots H8 for the reception of cutting knives Ill and the conventional knife supporting members or cheek woods H2. The slots Mil are arranged so that three cutting knives Hi may be supported therein, one hundred twenty degrees apart, when one type of product is being out, or four cutting knives may be supported therein, ninety degrees apart, when a different size product is being cut, as will be more fully explained hereinafter.

The peripheral portion of the cutting cylinder 32 is also provided with six slots H3, which receive the conventional cutting rubbers or abutments H5. When three cutting knives are employed in the knife cylinder 3|, then three abutments H5 are positioned in the slots H3, one hundred twenty degrees apart, or if four knives are employed, then four abutments are supported in the slots H3, ninety degrees apart.

In operation, the machine is constructed and arranged to print, cut, fold and deliver products of a given size and also products of a larger size. When the large products are to be produced, three cutting knives Hi are operably positioned in the cutting or knife cylinder 3!, and three coacting cutting abutments H5 are positioned in the cutting cylinder 32, so that for each revolution of the cutting cylinders, three sheets or products are out.

When this large product is to be printed, six plates may be arranged around each impression cylinder I5 of the printing unit or units. The web W is guided through the printing units, as hereinbefore disclosed, and after the web receives its impressions, it is slit into ribbons WR, and these ribbons are guided over the turner bars 25 and around rollers 26 to their associating rollers 21, and then to the feed rollers 28 and 3B. These feed rollers may be driven from any suitable source of power, and in the arrangement depicted in Figure 3, an idler gear H6 is operably interposed between the roller 35 and the cutting cylinder 32, so that the gear I I6 meshes with a gear, not shown, which is rotatable with the feed roller 30, and also with a gear, not shown, that rotates with the cutting cylinder 32. After the ribbons WR pass the feed rollers 23 and 30, they are engaged by the cutting knives III and cut into three sheets for each revolution of the printing cylinders I5 and i6 and the cutting cylinders 3I and 32. The cut sheets are then guided by the guide members Ed t, and they are propelled through the guide members I04 to the tucking blade cylinder by feed rollers H1 and H3, which are driven by an idler gear I20 that meshes with a gear, not shown, which rotates with the feed roller H8, and a gear, not shown, that rotates with the tucking blade cylinder 65. At the lower terminal of the guide members I94, the sheets are taken by the short gripper fingers 51 of the tucking blade cylinder 65 and conveyed around the tucking blade cylinder to the jaw cylinder 63. The gripper fingers 6'! are so located on the cylinder 65 that when each sheet is taken by a gripper finger, its intermediate portion overlies a tucking blade I3. When the intermediate portion of each sheet reaches the bite of the tucking blade cylinder 65 and the jaw cylinder 53, a tucking blade I3 moves radially towards the jaw cylinder 63 and tucks the intermediate portion of the sheet into the open folding jaws I5. Each sheet is two pages long, so that when it is folded by the cooperable engagement of the tucking blade I3 with the folding jaws I5, the sheet is folded intermediate its terminals, in order to dispose a page at each side of the fold. The folded sheet is then conveyed around the jaw cylinder 63 by the folding jaws I5, and the trailing edge of the sheet is retained in proper relation to the cylinder by the guide members I86 and IN. The folded sheet is then engaged by the feed roller TI and released from the jaws I5, and finally directed and conveyed by the guide member I08 and feed rollers I8 and 89 to the delivery cylinders BI and 52. When the large size products are being produced and only three cutting knives are employed in the cutting cylinder 3|, the folded leading edge of each folded sheet is gripped by gripper fingers 83, carried by the delivery cylinder 8i, andconveyed to the conveyer belt IElII. Each product when released from the gripper fingers is stripped from the delivery cylinder 8| by the stripper member 51, in conformity with the usual practice, and then the product is conveyed to the left from the delivery cylinder at, as seen in Figure 3.

When these large size products are to be produced, the lever 55 which manipulates the change speed gear mechanism, is moved to the position shown in full line in Figure 3, so that the gears 44 and 46 are in mesh. In this drive relationship, the tuckingblade cylinder 65 and jaw cylinder 63 are driven at the same peripheral speed as the printing and cutting cylinders, and all the products are delivered by the delivery cylinder 8I and conveyer belt I00 to the left, as hereinbefore stated.

When the smaller products are to be produced, the plate cylinders I6 of the printing unit have eight plates arranged therearound and two sets of forms are employed, for a purpose to be disclosed hereinafter. In this arrangement, four cutting knives III are positioned in the cutting cylinder 3|, and four cooperating cutting abutments II5 are positioned in the cutting cylinder 32, so that for each revolution of the cutting cylinders, four sheets are out. In order to receive the smaller products, the short gripper fingers G7 are removed from the tucking blade cylinder 65 and the longer gripper fingers G8 are secured thereto. Because the short sheets do not extend one-third around the cylinder, and since the intermediate portion of the short sheets must overlie the tucking blade I3, the longer gripper fingers58 extend farther around the periphery of the tucking blade cylinder 55 in order to correctly position the sheets in relation to the tucking blades. Prior to making the short-sheet run, the gear shift lever 55 is shifted to the dotted line position, shown, in Figure 3, so that the gears #35 and 48 are in mesh. This drives the folding cylinders 63 and 65 at an increased peripheral speed, so that the three sets of long gripper fingers 68 carried by the tucking blade 65 can properly receive the short sheets and convey them to their folding destination. In this four-sheet run, two of the gripper fingers B8 are removed from the delivery cylinder 8i and then secured to the delivery cylinder 82, as shown in Figure 8, so that certain of the products are deposited on the delivery belt I and conveyed to the left, as viewed in Figure 3, and the alternate products are deposited on the delivery belt IIII and conveyed to the right, as viewed in this figure.

Inasmuch as two sets of forms have been employed, products printed from one set are conveyed to the left by the conveyer belt I00, and products printed from the other are conveyed to the right by the conveyer belt IOI, as viewed in Figure 3, but if preferred, a single set of forms may be employed on the plate cylinders I6, and then four gripper fingers 88 may be employed on the delivery cylinder 8I, so that all products are delivered to the left, as viewed in Figure 3.

With this arrangement, different size products may be produced by the same instrumentalities, by simply making minor adjustments and changes in the disposition of certain operating components. Furthermore, the resulting products may be delivered to a common destination, or, if desired, to different destinations, in conformity with the size and character of the product being produced.

It will be understood that the invention herein disclosed may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and it is therefore desired that the present embodiment be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive.

What we claim is:

1. In a web cutting and folding mechanism for printing machines, a rotary cutter adapted to cut first products of a given length and to cut second products of lesser length, a rotary folding cylinder, and means to drive the folding cylinder at approximately the peripheral speed of the re.

tary cutter to fold the first products, and at a higher speed to fold the second products.

2. In a web cutting and folding mechanism for printing machines, cooperable cutting cylinders adapted to cut first products of a given length and to cut second products of lesser length, cooperable folding cylinders, and means to drive the folding cylinders at approximately the peripheral speed of the cutting cylinders to hold the first products, and at a higher speed to fold the second products.

3. In a web cutting and folding mechanism for printing machines, cooperable cutting cylinders adapted to cut first products of given length and to cut second products of lesser length, cooperable folding cylinders, means to drive the folding cylinders. at approximately th peripheral speed of the cutting cylinders to fold the first products, and at a higher speed to fold the second products, driven conveyers, and delivery cylinders opera-bly interposed between the folding cylinders and the conveyers to deliver the folded products to the conveyors.

4. In a Web cutting and folding mechanism for printing machines, cooperable cutting cylinders H adapted to cut first products of a given length and to cut second products of lesser length, cooperable folding cylinders, means to drive the folding cylinders at approximately the peripheral speed of the cutting cylinders to fold the first products,

and at a higher speed to fold the second products, driven conveyors, delivery cylinders operably interposed between the folding cylinders and the conveyors to deliver the folded products to the conveyers, and feed rollers operably interposed between the fol-ding cylinders and the delivery cylinders to feed folded products from the folding cylinders to the delivery cylinders.

5. In a web cutting and folding mechanism for printing machines, cooperable cutting cylinders adapted to cut first products of a given length and to cut second products of lesser length, cooperable folding cylinders, means to drive the folding cylinders at approximately the peripheral speed of the cutting cylinders to fold the first products, and at a higher speed to fold the second products, two driven conveyors, one conveyor adapted to convey products in one direction away from the folder and the other to convey other products in opposed direction away from the.

folder, cooper-able delivery cylinders operably interposed between the folding cylinders and the conveyers and adapted to deliver the folded first products from the folding cylinders to one conveyer and the folded second products to both convey-ers.

6. In a Web cutting and folding mechanism for printing machines cooperable cutting cylinders adapted to cut first products of given length and to cut second products of lesser length, cooperable folding cylinders, means to drive the folding cylinders at approximately the peripheral speed of the cutting cylinders to fold the first products, and at a higher speed to fold the second products, two driven conveyors, one conveyer adapted to convey products in one direc-- tion away from the folder and the other to convey other products in opposed direction away from the folder and cooperaole delivery cylinders operably interposed between the folding cylinders and the conveyors and adapted to deliver folded products from the folding cylinders to one conveyor and alternate products to the other conveyer, or alternatively to deliver all products to one conveyer,

7. In a web cutting and folding mechanism for printing machines, cooperab-le cutting cylinders a higher speed to fold the second products relatively short gripper fingers removably secured to the first folding cylinder to receive the relatively long first products, and relatively long gripper fingers removably secured to the first folding cylinder to receive the relatively short second products.

8. In a web cutting and folding mechanism for printing machines, cooperable cutting cylinders adapted to cut first products of relatively long length and to cut second products of lesser length, cooperable first and second folding cylinders, means to drive the folding cylinders at approximately the peripheral speed of the cutting cylinders t fold the first products, and at a higher speed to fold the second products, tucking blades carried by the first folding cylinder, folding jaws carried by the second folding cylinder to cooperably receive the tucking blades to fold the cut products intermediate their terminals, relatively short gripper fingers removably secured to the first folding cylinder to receive the relativelylon first products to position the intermediate portion of each product over a tucking blade, and relatively long gripper fingers removably secured to the first folding cylinder to receive the relatively short second products to position the intermediate portion of each product over a tucking blade.

9. In a Web cutting and folding mechanism for printing machines, cooperable cutting cylinders adapted to cut first products of relatively long length and t cut second products of lesser length, cooperable first and second folding cylinders, means to drive the folding cylinders at approximately the peripheral speed of the cutting cylinders to fold the first products, and at a higher speed to fold the second products, guide members interposed between the cutting cylinders and the first folding cylinder to convey cut products from the cutting cylinders to the first folding cylinder, relatively short gripper fingers removably secured to the first folding cylinder to receive the relatively long first products from the guide members, and relatively long gripper fingers removably secured to the first folding cylinder to receive the relatively short second products from the guide members.

10. In a web cutting and folding mechanism forprinting machines, cooperable cutting cylinders adapted to cut first products of relatively long length and to cut second products of lesser length cooperable first and second folding cylinders, means to drive the folding cylinders at approximately the peripheral speed of the cutting cylinders to fold the first products, and at a higher speed to fold the second products, radially movable tucking blades carried by the first folding cylinder, folding jaws carried by the second folding cylinder to cooperably engage the tucking blades to fold the cut products intermediate their terminals, guide members interposed between the outting cylinders and the first folding cylinder to convey cut products from the cutting cylinders to the first folding cylinder, relatively short gripper fingers removably secured to the first folding cylinder to receive the relatively long first products from the guide members to position the intermediate portion of each product over a tucking blade, and relatively long gripper fingers removably secured to the first folding cylinder to receive the relatively short second products from the guide members to position the intermediate portion of each product over a tucking blade.

11. In a web cutting and folding mechanism for printing machines, a rotary cutter adapted to cut first products of a given length and to cut second products of lesser length, a rotary folding cylinder, a driven shaft, a speed change mechanism operably interposed between the folding cylinder and the driven shaft and adjustable to produce two speed ratios to drive the folding cylinder at approximately the peripheral speed of the rotary cutter to fold the first products, and at a higher speed to fold the second products.

12. In a web cutting and folding mechanism for printing machines, cooperable cutting cylinders adapted to cutfirst products of a given length and to cut second products of lesser length, cooperable folding cylinders, a driven shaft, a speed change mechanism operably'interposed between the folding cylinders and the driven shaft and adjustable to produce two speed ratios to drive the folding cylinders at approximately the peripheral speed of the rotary cutting cylinders to fold the first products, and at a higher speed to fold the second products.

13. In a web cutting and folding mechanism for printing machines, a driven shaft, cooperable cutting cylinders driven from the driven shaft and adapted to cut first products of a given ilength and to cut second products of lesser length, separate first gears of different diameters driven from the driven shaft, cooperable folding cylinders, a second shaft operably connected with the folding cylinders, and separate second gears of different diameters rotatable with the second shaft and'slidable thereon so that each gear selectively engages one of the first gears to drive the folding cylinders at approximately the peripheral speed of the cutting cylinders to fold the first products, and at second products.

14. In a web cutting and folding mechanism for printing machines, a'driven shaft, a shaft driven'by the driven shaft, cooperable cutting cylinders driven by the first shaft and adapted to cut firstproducts ofa given length and to cut second products of lesser length, separate gears of different diameters rotatable with the first shaft, cooperable folding cylinders, a second shaft operably connected with the folding cylinders, separate gears of different diameters rotatable with the second shaft and slidable thereon so that one of the second gears selectively engages a first gear to drive the folding cylinders at approximately the peripheral speed to fold the first products, to fold the second prodof the cutting cylinders and at a higher speed ucts.

15. In a web cutting and folding mechanism for printing machines, a driven shaft, a first shaft driven by the driven shaft, cooperable cutting cylindersdriven by the first shaft and adapted to out first products of a given length and to out second products of lesser length, separate gears of different diameters rotatable with the first shaft, cooperable folding cylinders, a second shaft operably connected with the folding cylinders, a sleeve slldable on the second shaft a higher speed to fold the and secured against rotation relative to this shaft, separate gears of different diameters rotatable with this sleeve and slidable therewith, means for slidably moving the sleeve on the shaft to selectively move one of the second gears into meshing engagementwith a first gear to the folding cylinders at approximately the peripheral speed of the cutting cylinders to fold thefirst products and to move one of the second gears into meshing engagement with another first gear to drive the folding cylinders at a higher speed to fold the second products.

16. In a web cutting and folding mechanism for printing machines, a rotary cutter, cutting members removably secured tothe cutter in different numbers and in different locations and adapted when employed in a given number and in given locations to cut first products of a given length and when employed in another number and other locations'to cut second products of a lesser length, a rotary folding cylinder, and means to drive the folding cylinder at approximately the peripheral speed of the rotary cutter to fold the first products, and at a higher speed to fold the second products.

1'7. In a web cutting and folding mechanism for printing machines, two cooperable cutting cylinders, cutting abutments removably secured to one'cylinder in different numbers and in different locations, cutting knives operably supported by the other cylinder in different numbers and in different locations to cooperably engage the cutting abutments, the cutting abutments and knives adapted when employed in a given number and in given locations to cut first prodnets of a given length and when employed in another number and in other locations to cut second products of lesser length, cooperable rotary folding cylinders, and means to drive the folding cylinders at approximately the peripheral speed of the cutting cylinders to fold the first products, and at a higher speed to fold the second products.

18. In a web printing machine, a form cylinder arranged to receive a given number of printing plates therearound and to print therefrom a plurality of first products successively during each cylinder revolution and alternatively to receive a larger number of smaller printing plates therearound-to print therefrom a larger number of'smaller products successively during each cylinder revolution, a cutting mechanism adapted to cut the web into the first products and alternatively into the smaller products at the speed they are printed by the form cylinder, and a folding mechanism adapted to be driven at a speed corresponding with that of the form cylinder to fold the first products, and at a faster speed to fold the smaller products.

19. In a web printing machine, a form cylinder arranged to receive a given number of printing plates therearound and to print therefrom a plurality of first products successively during each cylinder revolution and alternatively to rereceive a larger number of smaller printing plates therearound to print therefrom a larger number of smaller products successively during each cylinder revolution, cooperable cutting cylinders adapted to cut the web into the first products and alternatively into the smaller products at the speed they are printed by the form cylinder, cooperable folding cylinders, and means to drive the folding cylinders at approximately the peripheral speed of the form cylinder and cutting cylinders to fold the first products, and at a higher speed to fold the smaller products.

drive 20. In a web printing machine, a form cylinder arranged to receive a number of printing plates therearound and to print therefrom a plurality of first products successively during each cylinder revolution and alternatively to receive a larger number of smaller printing plates therearound to print therefrom a larger number of smaller products successively during each cylinder revolution, cooperable cutting cylinders adapted to cut the web into the first products and 10 alternatively into the smaller products, cooper- 

